


Blue eyes against the background of autumn

by Eteerih



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, falling from a flight of like 3-4 stairs, just a small, what else should be tagged...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 17:48:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10576362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eteerih/pseuds/Eteerih
Summary: Honoka and Hanayo have decided to keep up their jogging, but since Hanayo isn't available, Honoka invites her beloved Umi to join her.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I was talking to my buddy-friend @stanowar about Honoka scraping her knee and Umi fixing it up, and then coincidentally it lined up with the Cheerleader ChikaRiko>HonoUmi edit she did a while back, so I basically wrote a small oneshot based on it. Yay!
> 
> Sorry if there's any wording or spelling errors or what not.

„Umi-chaan,“ the ginger head called out from a slight distance, „you’re so faaast.“ Umi stopped her jogging, but continued running in place. She couldn’t help but sigh quietly. Though she couldn’t be angry with Honoka, not at all. When doing sports, Umi tended to clear her mind and focus on said sport. In archery it is simply necessary. But jogging was different, she supposed. Well, when you’re with a companion.

Today, Umi and Honoka had gone jogging together to work on Honoka’s stamina. She usually did it together with Hanayo, but today Hanayo was unavailable, so Honoka asked Umi instead. Her reasons were „Because Umi-chan is good at training!“ and because she saw it as a good way to spend some time with her beloved Umi. She worded it nearly exactly like that, and Umi was glad they were talking by phone at the time. She was still a little new to romance and very, very inexperienced when it came to...doing things (her shyness didn’t help), but she was trying and ’following whatever your heart and body wants to do’, as Nozomi said.

Another reason Honoka didn’t mention was that the weather was amazing. Though it was autumn, the leaves we’re just turning their colours to orange, slowly falling one by one, and the afternoon sun was shining rather warmly. Honoka fit the orange of the autumn season well, with her ginger locks and orange tracksuit. It made her sky blue eyes somehow shinier.

„Sorry, Honoka.“ Umi looked back at Honoka, who was higher on the flight of stairs they were descending. „But one day you must be able to run this much straight as well, you know? You won’t last long live shows with no stamina.“ Especially since there were quite a few songs Honoka was the center of that could’ve been played in order.

„I know, I know, but it’s still difficuult,“ Honoka weeped, a few pants mixed in there. „At least I can do it with my dear Umi-chan!“ She giggled. Umi couldn’t help but smile a little. Honoka was such a ray of sunshine, even if she could be trouble at times. Umi was glad, too, that she got to admire Honoka in the midst of this scenery.

„We’re almost at the bottom, then we can go home,“ Umi said, to which Honoka beamed at. The girl stretched for a moment, ready to continue and follow Umi, and they could continue their descent back to...well, the bottom of the stairs, where they’ll grab a bite and rest a little before walking to Homura’s (so Umi could grab some pastries to bring home...as well as maybe spend more time alone with Honoka).

Umi already spotted the corner of the final platform, which turned right into the forest’s cover. That was the final desitnation, where Umi and Honoka had confidently left their lunch (not literally out in the open though, just in case). Just as Umi’s shoe was about to hit the second to last platform, a shriek pierced her ears, followed by a crash.

„Honoka?!“ Umi snapped around. She was open to an alarming sight: Honoka, sprawled on the platform a dozen steps from Umi, hands on the ground. „Honoka!“ Umi called out and quickly ran up, nearly leaping up the stairs. When she got to Honoka, the girl had gotten on her knees. Her knees were scratched and somewhat bloody, meaning it was quite a bad fall. But it could’ve been worse, at least.

„I-I’m fine, Umi,“ Honoka murmured, wiping her eyes. „J-just my knees, haha,“ she chuckled hesitantly. Umi hated whenever Honoka used that quiet, vulnerable voice, because usually she used it when she was hurt or sad.

„I should have some bandages and a hankerchief in my pockets, so let’s patch that up.“ Umi squeezed out a smile just as she squeezed the ginger head’s hand. Honoka nodded, and stood up with the help of Umi. She sighed heavily as she plopped down onto the stair behind her.

„I totally ruined the mood,“ Honoka pouted. „I’m sorry, Umi.“ She looked like a puppy left in the rain, so cute, yet also sad. Umi reached out and stroke Honoka’s hair softly.

„Don’t apologize, Honoka.“ Honoka’s hair was soft, but Umi also noticed a small leaf that probably got stuck when the fall happened. „You just fell. Let’s be glad it wasn’t a long fall.“ If it had been, it probably would’ve been way worse than just a few scratches. The thought scared Umi.

„I guess,“ Honoka muttered. „A-Atleast I have Umi-chan with me,“ she giggled quietly, „right?“ Umi nodded.

„Right.“

Umi kneeled next to Honoka while her hand searched her pockets for any bandages. Which she found, five of them. That should’ve been more than enough. Now Umi took a closer look at Honoka’s knees. They weren’t scratched up too bad, but bad enough for a mediocre amount of blood. Umi sighed, and asked, „You have the water bottle, right?“ Honoka nodded and took the small bottle from her own pockets, handing it to Umi. Umi used the small amount of water that was left to clean her fingers, and took up the bandage, placing it on Honoka’s left knee. Honoka winced visibly, and bit her lip when Umi snuck a glance.

„This sucks,“ Honoka mumbled to herself. „Ow, ow,“ she cried out when Umi continued to graze more of the scratched, be it with placing bandages or not. Tiny tears seemed to prick the corner of her blue eyes. It was a natural reaction. Umi would imagine a fall from stairs, even if this wasn’t too big of a fall, would be painful.

„There we go,“ Umi said, with a motherly smile, as she tapped the fourth and last bandage onto Honoka’s knee. Now both her knees had two sets of bandages, covering up the open wounds, only a few tiny scratches peeking from under them.

„Thanks, Umi...I feel so uncool now,“ Honoka murmured. She was avoiding Umi’s gaze, tears now wiped. Umi crawled closer to Honoka, joining her on the stone step she sat on.

„Don’t worry about it.“ She smiled, and continued, „What matters is that it wasn’t too serious and that you’re alright, Honoka.“ Her hand found itself around Honoka’s shoulders, brushing against the collar of her tracksuit.

„Still,“ Honoka frowned, „I had a pathetic moment like that in front of the person I love, isn’t that embarrassing?“ Umi flushed at being referred to as ’the person I love’ (she kept flashing back to her confession or reciprocration or whatever), but she got the idea Honoka meant. She would feel shame too, to look so pathetic in front of Honoka.

„I...I suppose, but...“ Now she just wanted to cuddle Honoka back to her smiles and happy state, cheer up the girl. „But everyone needs a helping hand sometimes, hm?“ It sounded like something Honoka would maybe say. Or maybe Nozomi moreso. It didn’t matter. She inched closer to Honoka, their shoulders pressing up against one another.

„I guess,“ Honoka mused, „I wouldn’t have been able to form μ's without all of you, especially you and Kotori.“ And there it was, the Honoka Kousaka smile of joy. The smile that had a habit of melting Umi’s heart in a way.

„I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of this without you either, Honoka,“ Umi stated. She had always been grateful to Honoka for not giving up on getting her to join. If only Umi had known how much fun μ's was back then, she wouldn’t have fought back so much. „Thank you, Honoka.“ It was also a thank you for Honoka being Honoka, for being the wonderful aloof girl she’s always known. Honoka giggled in her bubbly Honoka way.

„Can we go home now?“

„Of course. Can you stand?“ Umi stood, reaching a hand for Honoka, pulling her up. Honoka wobbled on her feet for a split second, but recovered immediately.

„It still aches, but it’s nothing too serious, ehe...Anyway!“ She clasped her hands together. „We have lunch waiting, right? I’m hungry from all that running...“ Honoka was back to her usual self, and Umi was happy as well. Honoka’s positivity had always been infectious.

„It’s about lunch time as well,„ Umi was saying as Honoka’s hand took her’s, lacing their fingers.

„Can I?“ Honoka asked timidly. Umi stared for a moment, a blush developing on her cheeks, but then nodded maybe a little too frantically.

„O-Of course,“ Umi relaxed into a smile, squeezing Honoka’s hand for confirmation. Honoka returned with a shy-sounding giggle.

Like that, hand in hand, they walked down calmly. As they stepped down the last stair, before Umi could let go of Honoka’s hand to reach for the bag, Honoka pulled Umi close and pressed a big, soft kiss on the girl’s cheek.

„Thanks again, Umi! For joining me in the first place, hehe.“ She was smiling as brightly as a star, leaving Umi to stare at her face. God, this girl. She tried to think of something to say, but was at a loss.

„I-I had a wonderful time, too...“ That was a bad reply, Umi thought, but she couldn’t think of anything better. But she really did have a great time. „Shall we have lunch now?“ She asked to change the topic. Honoka nodded eagerly and plopped down to the bench. As soon as Umi retrieved the bag, she joined Honoka.

She could still feel the warmth of Honoka’s lips on her cheek.


End file.
